lasted;
but the latter unavoidably fell off, compelling her consorts to keep
near, or to abandon her to her fate. M. de Vervillin preferred the
latter course. The consequences were, that, by the time the sun was in
the zenith, his line, a good deal extended, still, and far from regular,
was quite three leagues to leeward of that of the English. Nor was this
all: at that important turn in the day, Sir Gervaise Oakes was enabled
to make sail on all his ships, setting the fore and mizzen-top-sails
close-reefed; while _la Victoire_, a fast vessel, was enabled to keep in
company by carrying whole courses. The French could not imitate this,
inasmuch as one of their crippled vessels had nothing standing but a
foremast. Sir Gervaise had ascertained, before the distance became too
great for such observations, that the enemy was getting ready to send up
new top-masts, and the other necessary spars on board the admiral, as
well as jury lower-masts in _le Scipion_; though the sea would not yet
permit any very positive demonstrations to be made towards such an
improvement. He laid his own plans for the approaching night
accordingly; determining not to worry his people, or notify the enemy of
his intentions, by attempting any similar improvement in the immediate
condition of his prize.

About noon, each ship's number was made in succession, and the question
was put if she had sustained any material injury in the late conflict.
The answers were satisfactory in general, though one or two of the
vessels made such replies as induced the commander-in-chief to resort to
a still more direct mode of ascertaining the real condition of his
fleet. In order to effect this important object, Sir Gervaise waited two
hours longer, for the double purpose of letting all the messes get
through with their dinners, and to permit the wind to abate and the sea
to fall, as both were now fast doing. At the expiration of that time,
however, he appeared on the poop, summoning Bunting to his customary
duty.

At 2 P.M. it blew a whole top-sail breeze, as it is called; but
the sea being still high, and the ships close-hauled, the vice-admiral
did not see fit to order any more sail. Perhaps he was also influenced
by a desire not to increase his distance from the enemy, it being a part
of his plan to keep M. de Vervillin in plain sight so long as the day
continued, in order that he might have a tolerable idea of the position
of his fleet, during the hours of dark